Indie Recap - February 2020
Artists covered: Grimes * HMLTD * King Krule * Klangstof * The Orielles
"Miss Anthropocene"
Grimes
Grimes
21st February 2020
4AD
Grimes' first album in the spotlight is an..interesting one. Coming a long four and a half years after her critically acclaimed and arguably breakout album Art Angels, we've had a long wait for this to drop and now that it's finally here...well... it exists I suppose.
For as hard as Grimes tries to make this album feel big and important with its supposedly grand concepts that more often than not don't make it past the title of the song. What I'm getting at is the lack of depth and development of the bold themes she's been teasing we'll get for over a year now, her marketing starting way back in 2018 with the release of the phenomenal, raging single "We Appreciate Power". For me, what worked about that song was how rounded it felt: the instrumental was explosive nu-metal, she had a strong theme of AI and computer domination and the lyrics were a sensational and compelling exploration of said theme. That track was somehow demoted to a bonus track here on Miss Anthropocene, and there's scarcely a moment of anything resembling that sound or method of execution anywhere on this album. Instead, we get a whole lot of coasting on good ideas without any development.
Throughout her discography, it has always been more about the crazy direction she's taking her sound in at that time than about the lyrics, and on Miss Anthropocene it seemed as though the words were going to take precedence over the instrumentals for once, perhaps as Grimes's craziest switch up yet. Unfortunately, the majority of the lyrics here are just vaguely cool sounding phrases repeated over and over as a front for concepts that could have been intriguing had she spent more time writing and less time on social media talking about how great and provocative the writing on this album would be. Of course, we do get the odd moment of lyrical excellence now and again, but those moments are few and far between. Take the track "Delete Forever", a startlingly honest moment that takes a 90s indie rock and country direction that feels totally out of place with every other song on the album but that actually manages to convey the themes of helplessness and pointlessness perfectly with its lyrics and an instrumental that feels apt to support the themes. Frustratingly, it doesn't work in the context of the album whatsoever.
A worse opening for the album would have been hard to find, as the meandering "So Heavy I Fell Through The Earth" spends six minutes revelling in its cool title and washy, distant synths. Grimes herself sounds utterly bored on this track, and although I think she's going for a sort of complacency the sum of its parts does not captivate me whatsoever and I'm left disengaged and underwhelmed, wishing the song capped off after half its runtime or less. Following this is the incredibly engaging "Darkseid" that has some interesting, artsy lyrics from Taiwanese rapper 潘PAN that are the opposite of the frustratingly vague lyrics that Grimes usually delivers here, although the beat of this song has definitely faded on me after my first couple of listens as the hardcore, nocturnal trap is yet again another out of place element to an album that, despite supposedly being a concept album, lacks a clear identity.
No, I'm afraid to say this a really disjointed experience that I've already picked a couple of songs from that I can enjoy in isolation from this messy, undercooked experience of mostly mediocrity. The universal praise confounds me, as it seems to me like a product of the hype rather than the music and a lot of what Grimes promised did not come to fruition. Still, I'd highly recommend the songs I put in the best section, but I'd avoid the album overall.
4.5/10
Best Tracks: Delete Forever; New Gods; My Name Is Dark
Worst Tracks: So Heavy I Fell Through The Earth; Before the fever; IDORU
"West Of Eden"
HMLTD
7th February 2020
Lucky Number Music
This might not be a straightforward concept album, but HMLTD have achieved the sort of cohesive yet diverse experience that makes me love genreless artists. The band might be a bit past the point of peak hype (especially given the label drama they had), but just like Pretty Vicious the year before them they've emerged on the other side victorious and stronger than ever.
Unlike Pretty Vicious, this album has a whole lot more than one sound. HMLTD are unafraid to go wild with rock, country, electronic and synthpop elements all featuring prominently on a number of songs, and the outcome is spectacular to behold. Of course, the consequence of this is the somewhat jarring transitions from song to song, but unlike with Grimes's album there are strong links between songs in the lyrics and theming that ties it all together. On the subject of theming, the band have no holds barred as they boldly delve into some dark territory that most bands still steer clear of to this day, casually (ok, actually quite intensely) proclaiming the west to be dead on the opening track and painting a vivid and horrific picture with their abrasive lyrics in this song and many others, such as the depressing "Joanna" or the huge "Death Drive", an off putting yet intoxicating view into the reality of the long-dead American Dream.
Musically, this album would struggle to be more varied, sharing more than a few cues from The Voidz's Virtue when it comes to pulling from this many influences. The difference is, HMLTD aren't hesitant to blend them together in order to enhance the individual strengths, such as on the riotous "To The Door" which shares as much DNA with The Clash, Bob Dylan and Travis Scott all at once. It's a refreshing blast of three genres all at once that somehow transcends each sound, and it's not even close to being my favourite song on the album. That cake would currently have to go to the soulful "Satan, Luella & I", a fantastic endeavor into a somewhat gospel-tinged, piano-driven soundscape that is totally unique in their catalogue and totally worth every second.
There really is very little to criticise about this album, my only real complaints being shared by other critics who have already pointed out that the potency of "Blank Slate" as a closing track is somewhat lost as the actual album closer "War Is Looming" finishes things off with another jarring change of pace that slightly upsets things. By no means is "War Is Looming" a bad song however, it's just poorly placed and that's the beauty of this album - it feels meant to be shuffled. I've created my own order of how best to listen to it, and if you're into the album enough I recommend doing the same.
Looking at this album from the outside, things probably don't quite make sense. Thankfully, when it comes to actually listening to this album the pieces all fall into place and what didn't work out of context (such as the entirety of "Why") seem to make perfect sense. This was the first album in a while that's made me so anxious to listen to it over and over again, and the magic of this band has yet to fade. I can't wait to see what they do next, but I'm not going to let that bother me given how much I can get out of this album in the here and now. The West Is Dead...what's next?
9/10
Best Tracks: LOADED; Satan, Luella & I; Mikey's Song; 149; Joanna; Death Drive; Blank Slate
Worst Tracks: MMXX A.D.
"Man Alive!"
King Krule
Unlike Pretty Vicious, this album has a whole lot more than one sound. HMLTD are unafraid to go wild with rock, country, electronic and synthpop elements all featuring prominently on a number of songs, and the outcome is spectacular to behold. Of course, the consequence of this is the somewhat jarring transitions from song to song, but unlike with Grimes's album there are strong links between songs in the lyrics and theming that ties it all together. On the subject of theming, the band have no holds barred as they boldly delve into some dark territory that most bands still steer clear of to this day, casually (ok, actually quite intensely) proclaiming the west to be dead on the opening track and painting a vivid and horrific picture with their abrasive lyrics in this song and many others, such as the depressing "Joanna" or the huge "Death Drive", an off putting yet intoxicating view into the reality of the long-dead American Dream.
Musically, this album would struggle to be more varied, sharing more than a few cues from The Voidz's Virtue when it comes to pulling from this many influences. The difference is, HMLTD aren't hesitant to blend them together in order to enhance the individual strengths, such as on the riotous "To The Door" which shares as much DNA with The Clash, Bob Dylan and Travis Scott all at once. It's a refreshing blast of three genres all at once that somehow transcends each sound, and it's not even close to being my favourite song on the album. That cake would currently have to go to the soulful "Satan, Luella & I", a fantastic endeavor into a somewhat gospel-tinged, piano-driven soundscape that is totally unique in their catalogue and totally worth every second.
There really is very little to criticise about this album, my only real complaints being shared by other critics who have already pointed out that the potency of "Blank Slate" as a closing track is somewhat lost as the actual album closer "War Is Looming" finishes things off with another jarring change of pace that slightly upsets things. By no means is "War Is Looming" a bad song however, it's just poorly placed and that's the beauty of this album - it feels meant to be shuffled. I've created my own order of how best to listen to it, and if you're into the album enough I recommend doing the same.
Looking at this album from the outside, things probably don't quite make sense. Thankfully, when it comes to actually listening to this album the pieces all fall into place and what didn't work out of context (such as the entirety of "Why") seem to make perfect sense. This was the first album in a while that's made me so anxious to listen to it over and over again, and the magic of this band has yet to fade. I can't wait to see what they do next, but I'm not going to let that bother me given how much I can get out of this album in the here and now. The West Is Dead...what's next?
9/10
Best Tracks: LOADED; Satan, Luella & I; Mikey's Song; 149; Joanna; Death Drive; Blank Slate
Worst Tracks: MMXX A.D.
"Man Alive!"
King Krule
21st February 2020
Matador/XL
Archie Marshall has returned with another unconventional yet consumable sounding record that optimises all the influences from jazz, post-punk, psychedelia and trip hop into one sonically consistent and highly enjoyable art rock/hip hop record.
There's an infectious level of aggression to these tracks, something that's not so much confrontational as it is critically introspective and I'm 100% onboard for it. The first thing I notice about this album when listening is always his attitude before anything else, except perhaps with the busy experimentation of the wild "Comet Face" a track that utilises a saxophone like a secondary weapon to support and cut through the strange sounds and Archie's aggravated lyrics that speak of the frustratingly persistent status quo of both the outside world and his own life. As someone who's not super familiar with his previous work, it's these kind of themes that keep me hooked to this album and make a dreary instrumental moment on a song like "Perfecto Miserable" worth it just for the emotion and eventual phenomenal crescendo.
The transitions between songs help to give this album even more a sense of flow and togetherness that alongside the general themes of dreams, feeling trapped and uncertainty creates a beautifully whole experience. More than that though, the smoothness of how each song glides into the next and given the minor, almost haunting tones that most of the tracks have makes for an eerie and unsettling vibe. As pervasive as this vibe is, I do feel like the ideas begin to run out of steam as you get into the later half of the album. It goes from being engaging and interesting in all departments to lazing around with the same ideas repeated throughout various songs that occupy an often sludgy midtempo that unfortunately doesn't flatter the oddball ideas and quirks that made the first half so great.
Overall though there's not a whole lot to be disappointed by, and although the slower ending does drag on a bit that's not so much of a problem that it ruins the album, but it does prevent me from calling it a great record. Still, Archie's done his sound a favour and he's tied up a lot of the loose ends (musically) left by his ambitious but underwhelming last album. This is very good, and if you've been torn by the slightly divisive reception I wouldn't hold back from giving this thing the time it deserves.
7/10
Best Tracks: Cellular; Stoned Again; Comet Face; Perfecto Miserable; Alone, Omen 3
Worst Tracks: Theme for the Cross
Worst Tracks: Theme for the Cross
"The Noise You Make Is Silent"
Klangstof
21st February 2020
Mind of a Genius
My most anticipated album for 2018, 2019 and 2020 has finally arrived and I'm pleased to say that the "Netherland's answer to radiohead" has in fact taken some well placed steps away from their primary influence. Not only have Klangstof moved away from the sound of their first album, but they've taken a few bold strides into new dance-adjacent territory with post-dubstep, indietronica and synthwave influences that make for a fantastic first half of the album.
On first listen, the first non-single I was confronted with was the interlude "They Could Have Saved The Universe", a subtle, 2 minute meandre that signified an inevitable change of pace, in this case between the bold new first half of their album and the more familiar, Radiohead-inspired second. There's nothing distinctly wrong with this half, and in fact some of the album's best songs can be found on this side, but I can't deny I was let down by the lack of adventure that kept me wide-eyed and excited throughout the first five songs. That criticism aside, there's a whole lot to love about this album and it makes me sad that after their big performance at Coachella in 2017 in seems as though the public have allowed the band to fall to the wayside.
Press play on this album and the first song that greets you is the groovy "Blank Page", an instant highlight and irresistibly danceable moment in which the band play around with almost tropical vibes paired with a sharp beat that has me hooked from the end of the first chorus right up until the end of the song. This makes way for the spacey, almost cosmic "Attack Attack", my 6th best song of last year that goes through an entrancing shift into what's essentially a post-dubstep synth riff to conclude what has to be one of the band's best songs, an example of the excellent ability Klangstof has to control their rhythms and to build up songs in intriguing ways whilst working within quite traditional song structures.
One criticism I've seen levelled at this band would be their robotic precision and lack of personality. Whilst I can see where you'd be coming from if I squint my ears (is "squinting ears" a thing?), I would point you towards the lyrics as a pretty personal reflection of the kind of emotion Koen (the singer) is bringing to the table, particularly on tracks like "Death03" and "Solo". The band's sound might be clean and controlled but they're a long way off from being another Two Door Cinema Club, and if you're just looking for a rougher guitar solo then you're in the wrong place... except that the band even have a sensational guitar moment on "Death09", one of the most captivating and attention-grabbing songs on the album.
This album has consolidated my love of this band for its development of their sound, excellent lyrics and ventures into an assortment of new sounds, from the acoustic psychedelics of "We Never Liked The Outcome" to the chugging, blocky synthwave of "New Congress, New Father". In my opinion, this is a great album and it pains me to think of how many people have forgotten about this band. Whilst I wouldn't say it quite exceeds the mellow synthpop of their "Everest" EP, it's certainly the best of the two albums they've put out.
8.5/10
Best Tracks: Blank Page; Attack Attack; Death09; New Congress New Father; Death03; Thousands; Solo
Worst Tracks: Spending Hours
"Disco Volador"
The Orielles
28th February 2020
Heavenly
The Orielles are bringing disco back.
My introduction to this band was the funky 2018 single "Bobbi's Second World", a track that I'm thrilled to say made it onto this album alongside the equally danceable "Come Down On Jupiter", two impeccably groove-centred tracks that I'd recommend as upbeat but melancholic staples of this band's thrilling sound. As easy as it is to sink your teeth into the sweet, sweet melodies or to simply dance to the basslines, the lyrics are far from meaningless fodder and it's this more typical indie side that gives it a nice edge over the majority of straight-up funk and disco albums.
The Orielles explore themes of naivety, change, memory and even an alternative creation theory through the observing but not necessarily critical lens of singer Esmé's conversational tone and gorgeous voice, yet another reason to listen to this band. Of course, whilst the band spend a lot of time indulging in the swirling, dizzying sound they've created, endorsing extended instrumentals and creative albeit over clustered sound effects. This sort of "ear candy" experimentation, playing around with small sounds to add brief moments of flavour to a track, doesn't substitute the substance needed to really carry a song. The might get this right on over half of the songs, but that doesn't stop a couple of tracks feeling like they could do with either untethering completely to the more dream pop and cosmic side of the album, or else to strengthen the post-punk roots the band have. Either way, there's room to grow.
As far as I'm concerned, there's a bit too much of a reliance on the vibe and details to call this great when the core sound is heavily derived from the disco funk of years past, but it's a respectable take on the style that I would love to see progress on future releases from the band. Overall, it's a solid album that does its job very well. Congratulations The Orielles.
6.5/10
Best Tracks: Rapid i; Bobbi's Second World; The Squared Eyed Pack; Euro Borealis
Worst Tracks: Whilst The Flowers Look; A Material Mistake
My introduction to this band was the funky 2018 single "Bobbi's Second World", a track that I'm thrilled to say made it onto this album alongside the equally danceable "Come Down On Jupiter", two impeccably groove-centred tracks that I'd recommend as upbeat but melancholic staples of this band's thrilling sound. As easy as it is to sink your teeth into the sweet, sweet melodies or to simply dance to the basslines, the lyrics are far from meaningless fodder and it's this more typical indie side that gives it a nice edge over the majority of straight-up funk and disco albums.
The Orielles explore themes of naivety, change, memory and even an alternative creation theory through the observing but not necessarily critical lens of singer Esmé's conversational tone and gorgeous voice, yet another reason to listen to this band. Of course, whilst the band spend a lot of time indulging in the swirling, dizzying sound they've created, endorsing extended instrumentals and creative albeit over clustered sound effects. This sort of "ear candy" experimentation, playing around with small sounds to add brief moments of flavour to a track, doesn't substitute the substance needed to really carry a song. The might get this right on over half of the songs, but that doesn't stop a couple of tracks feeling like they could do with either untethering completely to the more dream pop and cosmic side of the album, or else to strengthen the post-punk roots the band have. Either way, there's room to grow.
As far as I'm concerned, there's a bit too much of a reliance on the vibe and details to call this great when the core sound is heavily derived from the disco funk of years past, but it's a respectable take on the style that I would love to see progress on future releases from the band. Overall, it's a solid album that does its job very well. Congratulations The Orielles.
6.5/10
Best Tracks: Rapid i; Bobbi's Second World; The Squared Eyed Pack; Euro Borealis
Worst Tracks: Whilst The Flowers Look; A Material Mistake
Album Overload
In this segment I'll be taking (very) brief looks at albums that missed out on being one of my 5 selections for the given month. This segment won't be featuring regularly on these monthly recaps but February truly was stocked full of indie releases and it felt wrong to ignore these completely. Here goes...
"Always Tomorrow"
Best Coast
Best Coast
21st February 2020
Concord Records
I get the feeling that this album is supposed to impress me a lot. What's a shame then is the incredibly lacklustre, at least in terms of direction and execution, instrumentals. Sure, there's a certain profanity to the writing that speaks to the experience the band have as lyricists, and yet much like the instrumentals I'm struggling to find a single song I'd ever listen to here. I suppose it could be a case of me simply outgrowing this kind of indie rock, but the more I think about the emotional yet weak and generic lyrics, the more I'm convinced that this is a straightforward and boring album.
4.5/10
"Everyday Nothing"
Brooke Bentham
Brooke Bentham
28th February 2020
All Points
Yeah...this is a sweet little slice of indie pop, folk and rock all rolled into one instrumentally generic but fun package. Of course, it would never be a first choice, but it certainly has its place and Brooke's songwriting in particular has a lot of promise. All in all, a good album with a couple of great songs.
7/10
"Mystic Familiar"
Dan Deacon
Dan Deacon
31st January 2020
Domino
Beautiful layering of psychedelic confusion make for a rather excellent album that I missed in January. Thankfully, I gave it the shot it deserves. What really impresses me about Dan Deacon's brand of psychedelia is the distance between this and artists like Temples, always taking the obvious direction with the genre rather than exploring the unknown as it originally did. This album is one of those perhaps closer to an experience than anything else, and it's an experience worth having.
8/10
"Forward Motion Godyssey"
Post Animal
Post Animal
14th February 2020
Polyvinyl Records
A rather explosive export I discovered on Bandcamp, Post Animal are a band that feel like they have a lot of potential. Aside from some great riffs and surprisingly well arranged synth passages, I'm left a little empty due to the underwritten lyrics. It's good, but with an aesthetic as strong as this it could have been great. Still, it's worth checking out, but for now I'll stick to Liily.
6.5/10
"Color Theory"
Soccer Mommy
Soccer Mommy
28th February 2020
Fat Possum Records
Soccer Mommy is (somehow) a critical darling. Why? Her music is some of the most derivative, acoustic-driven indie rock out there with some reasonably interesting lyrics and not a whole lot else to grab onto. Maybe it's personal and intimate, but until she can hold my attention with a song that stands out from a) the rest of the album and b) every other artist making this kind of music, she's just not worth my time.
4/10
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Thank you very much for reading, particularly if you managed to make it to the end. If you noticed the obvious lack of Tame Impala then fear not, I will be discussing The Slow Rush before long now. Next up though we've got the Pop Recap where Justin Bieber's comeback will be scrutinised, alongside a selection of other new pop records.
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